Sponsored Travel: The Ultimate Blogger’s Guide

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The reality of sponsored travel is that most people would give up their left arm to travel the world for free.

The good news is: today you get to keep both arms.

The bad news is… My dear bloggers, as you may realize, it is officially the last week of Blogtoberfest! *hands out tissues* And while it may be the saddest of days, do take comfort in the fact that I’ve strategically saved the juiciest topic for last. After four weeks of enduring my awkward jokes, you have now built foundational skills in content creation, social media, and traffic building… so naturally, it’s prime time to delve into a topic that we’re all super interested in (whether we admit it or not):

How to turn our blogs into free, sponsored travel.

Well right off the bat, I’ll have you know that nothing in this world comes free. Blogging, pitching and content creation all involve buckets of hustle (and stress eating), so know that you’ll have to work hard for your results. Today’s guide however will hold your hand through the basics. In the past year, I’ve had a lot of success pitching to different hotels and activities, which has helped tremendously in terms of not starving to death. Along the way, I’ve learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t, so today I’m going to share that all with you!

I hope you’re ready to learn about sponsored travel! It’s another long one, so grab a blanket, feed your goldfish and clear your schedule for the next 3-4 weeks. (Only semi-kidding). Here are the sections we’ll be going through:

Frequently Asked Questions about Sponsored Travel

1. How do I get sponsored travel as a blogger?

For the purpose of this post, sponsored travel will mostly refer to complimentary (or discounted) tours, stays and experiences in exchange for some kind of work on your part, whether it’s a blog post, social media or whatever else. This tends to happen in one of two ways: either you approach a brand, or they approach you. This post is all about how you can approach brands, so spritz on some perfume and practice those persuasive eyebrow raises. The beauty is really, all you do is ask.

2. When am I “big” enough to start pitching for sponsored travel?

If Facebook groups are any indication, this is THE number 1 question asked by new bloggers… and sadly it’s one that nobody has answers to. Now I wish I had some crystal ball to peer into so I could be like “yes Janine, your first comp’d stay will be next March” but there’s really no set formula for how many followers, pageviews, etc. you need because the circumstances always dictate the result. Hence I give you the most annoying answer of all:

It depends.

The first time I tried pitching to a hotel, I was at 4000 unique visitors a month. When they agreed to host me, I pretty much passed out. In hindsight, I could have probably reached out earlier to positive results, but who knows? Realize that it’s not just about numbers, it’s about details like engagement, how well your brand fits theirs, what kind of availability they have, etc. so don’t worry about hitting a ‘target number’, focus on the more important foundational stuff first, like creating great content. I feel like 2000 is a bit of a credibility minimum, so I personally wouldn’t start until you have at least 2000 followers/readers but again, numbers are only a small piece of this sponsored travel pie.

My first ever sponsored stay!

3. How do I approach brands and businesses for sponsored travel?

It’s surprisingly easier than you think. Outreach can be done through email, and as long as you know who to contact and how to professionally type up your pitch, then you have a shot at some kind of response. So, put on your coziest pyjamas and get to work!

4. But I’ve been told to never work for exposure! How do I get brands to pay me?

Woah woah woah slow down, crazypants. My philosophy is, if a brand reaches out to you for a collaboration then yes by all means, assert your worth and ask for payment. On the other hand, if you’re the one reaching out to them, it would be pretty nutty for you to say “hi can you pay me to stay at your hotel? My 100 Instagram followers would love it.”

5. When is the best time to pitch?

Again, this varies. I’ve had success a month in advance, and success even 3 days before. Your better bet is to always to contact them earlier, that way you have more time to cry deal with a Plan B if they say no. Regardless, peak season is always tougher to get (for obvious reasons), so plan around that. Pro tip: send your emails on Sunday night or Monday morning, and they’ll probably respond sooner since it’s at the top of their inbox!

Brutal Truths to Understand about Sponsored Travel

I’m sorry guys, I need to play Bad Cop for a second here.

The truth is, there’s a lot of misconceptions out there about sponsored travel, and some bloggers who don’t quite understand what it means or the work that it entails. Luckily, I’m gonna bust out my baseball bat and break your spirits before we get started! Who’s ready to get their dreams crushed?! Oookay!

1. You need to make sure you have the right intentions.

First thing’s first, if you’re only blogging to get free stuff, then that’s a problem.

Blogging is really hard work. I spend more time with my blog than I do with my boyfriend, okay? I might as well be married to this thing. Blogging is a massive commitment, and many people don’t realize that. You’re going to be pouring months (maybe even years) of unpaid labour into your site before you start seeing any returns, so if you don’t have a genuine passion for writing or photography, then run.

Blog because you love it, blog because it’s fun, but never ever ever blog because you see it as a magical portal to “Free Crap Land”.

2. Understand that you are embarking on a path of constant rejection.

Oof, that’s dark. Sorry I have to say this, but once you enter the wild world of sponsored travel & pitching, thick skin is of crucial importance. Realistically, most of your emails will be ignored, and of the few responses you do receive,”no”s will be common. There’s a million reasons why you could have been rejected or ignored… maybe your email got sent to spam, maybe they were having a bad day, or more likely: maybe your blog is awesome, but just not the right fit for their target market. Don’t ever beat yourself up over rejections, because they are a natural part of the process.

3. Sponsored travel comps are not all they’re cracked up to be.

You know that feeling when you enter a gorgeous hotel room and all you want to do is burrito yourself in a blanket and sleep until the seasons change? Yeah, imagine that, but instead of getting in bed you need to meticulously stage photos of the room while it’s still clean, and awkwardly pose in bathrobes to get fun shots of you enjoying yourself. Don’t get me wrong – sponsored travel is amazing and you get to experience so many cool things, but at the end of the day, it IS a lot of work… and when your mind is always on work, you’re getting a very different holiday experience than if you were just taking a vacay on your own. Know that it’s not just margaritas on the beach… it’s more like awkwardly trying to take the perfect photo of said margarita, while it melts in the heat of your desperation. Just know that “free travel” is not as romantic as we all assume.

Shots like this require a lot of awkward staging…

4. As a blogger, you’re not entitled to “free” anything.

In any blogger Facebook group, there will always be that one chirpy newcomer who asks: “Hi I just started my blog! How do I get free hotel stays? Thanks.”

There are so many levels of rage that boil in me when this happens. Let’s be clear on a few things: bloggers aren’t entitled to anything. Literally anyone can start a blog, and if you assume that’s enough for you to work with brands, then you’re devaluing the hard work of a looottt of people. Secondly, as a blogger, when you stay at a hotel or do a tour in exchange for a review, please for the love of Spongebob, know that this agreement does not equal free.

In establishing these partnerships, you are providing value to these companies through your work.Your agreement is a collaboration, not a freebie, got it?

And so that’s why the golden rule is to never approach brands for sponsored travel until you have value that you can offer in return. If you have a 2 day old Blogspot filled with angsty diary entries, that won’t bring any value to brands (except maybe a good laugh at lunch break).

How to find the right people to contact for sponsored travel

Alright, so you’re going on a trip, and you’ve decided you want to reach out to a few businesses? Great! People I usually contact include the tourism board of that city or country, hotels that I’m interested in and any tours/activities that are a good fit for my blog. Here are some tips for you in this seeking contacts process:

1. Seek out businesses that fit your blog’s audience and niche. It may be tempting to just email everyone and see who’s willing to take you up on your offer, but don’t muddle your brand by taking just anything!

2. Identify businesses or brands that have worked with bloggers in the past. This will greatly increase your chances of a ‘yes’. Strategies for this include Googling your destination + “opinions are my own” or “I was welcomed as a guest”. You can alternatively sniff out hotel or company websites with prominent Press pages and see if bloggers are included in those lists.

3. Know who you should be contacting. Emailing the general info account is probably not the best way to go. You should be looking for anybody who is listed as a Media/Press Contact, PR Person, Marketing Manager or even Sales. This will take some detective work, but a good place to start is the Contact page or the Press page (which will usually have a ‘Press Contacts’ subsection).

4. Just ask! I’ve started doing this recently and it has helped save so much time. Many of the businesses you’re pitching to will be customer service oriented, which means they will be active at fielding questions on Facebook or Twitter. For a hotel you’re interested in, why not shoot them a quick Facebook message and let them know “Hi, my name is Anna Banana and I’m a travel blogger interested in collaborating with your hotel! Would I be able to get an email or phone number for the individual who handles media and PR requests? Thanks a lot!” This shortcut gets you the information way quicker.

The basic format of an email pitch

Greeting: Use the person’s name if you can find it. Never use “to whom it may concern” or “dear sir/madam” (does anybody even talk like that?) and if you have no other option, run with a friendly “Hello” or “Hi there”.

Introduction: Let them know who you are, what the name of your blog is and why you’re contacting them. “E.g. I wanted to reach out about an upcoming visit I have to Bananaland.”

The body: There’s a few important elements to include. First – what is it about the hotel that fits your blog or audience? “My audience is comprised primarily of banana lovers and I feel like your banana-friendly atmosphere is a great fit for what they look for”. Make things specific. Second – what are you asking for (dates, how many rooms, how many nights, complimentary or discounted). Third – most importantly, what you’re able to offer in return (e.g. a blog post, social media shoutouts, photos, etc.)

Conclusion: Be courteous and thank them for their time. Attach your media kit if possible and cap things off with something that invites a response like “I look forward to hearing from you!”

Follow-up: I haven’t needed to follow up often, but a week or two after the initial email would be a good time to quickly check in and ask if they received your last email.

Sailing in Croatia – my coolest sponsored trip to date!

Tips and tricks for a successful pitch

Never copy and paste templates from the Internet!

I’ve been on the receiving end of copy/paste templates before, and let me tell you: there’s nothing worse than an email that’s clearly been sent to 500+ other people. I mean it’s okay to have a basic structure to work off of, but failing to personalize it in any way is not just ineffective, it’s lazy. A few of my favourite copy/paste moments:

Anytime I’m referred to as a Sir/Madam. [Like seriously, you couldn’t just find out?]

When someone said they were huge fans of my blog and my embroidery. [Lolwhat?]

My personal fail: when I emailed the tourism board of a city, but called it by the wrong name TWICE. [I still got tourism passes though. What a wild world.]

Remember that your request is likely one of thousands that your contact sifts through each year. If you found your pitch online, let’s face it: they’ve probably read it before. Do make the effort to personalize your emails – I promise it’ll make a difference.

A media kit always helps

Even if you don’t have sky high page views or an adoring social media cult audience, a media kit will always help you. Why? Because it shows that you’re a professional, that you’re taking this seriously and that you’re not just some scraggly rando begging for freebies. I typically end my email with “I’ve attached my media kit for your reference. Thanks a lot blah blah blah”. It gives your contact person a way to find out more about you if they’re interested, and is a chance for you to flaunt your best qualities.

Two common misconceptions about media kits are that 1) you need good design skills to create one or 2) that they’re expensive to have made. This is not true at all! You can get clean, elegant Microsoft Word templates (yes, Word) on Etsy for as little as $10. Click here to browse some beautiful and cheap templates! [They’re doing a Buy 1 Get 1 50% off promo at the moment too!]

There are also online services like Canva where you can make your own for free. Be wary of using templates though because then your media kit will probably have many others that look exactly like it.

Show, don’t tell

Instead of “I am a popular travel blogger”, say that your blog “reaches over 30,000 followers a month across 130 countries”. Instead of saying “I have a lot of experience working with brands”, try “I have collaborated with a variety brands in the past (see examples here and here)”. The point is you need evidence to back up your claims. In the fluffy online world where people can just make things up, shine those golden rays of credibility by providing proof for what you say.

Always put your best foot forward

To succeed at pitching, you need to know your strong points.

If your social media audience is significantly higher than your blog’s, then emphasize those numbers. If your audience is small but very engaged, then explain why that is helpful to them.

Putting your best foot forward also means being a squeaky clean professional, so use good email etiquette, maintain a friendly tone and avoid typos at all costs! A professional email helps (e.g. [email protected] rather than [email protected]), as does your own domain name.

Research the company and tailor your pitches

Let’s be real: ‘Copy and paste’ pitches stuffed with vague terms like “your property” or “your business” are massive no-nos.. At the bare minimum, you should be mentioning the hotel/company’s name, and even better if you pin point what it is about them that you like. Real pitching superstars will explain how their brand meshes well with your target audience and why you think a collaboration would be appropriate. The key is to make it very clear that your pitch is tailored to them, and no one else.

Always note what value you offer in return

Many bloggers neglect this crucial piece, which is probably why many of them complain about rejections. Remember, you’re not just asking for free stuff, you’re offering your services in return.

So duh, you need to offer something in return.

Think about your strengths: are you a master photographer who captures mindblowing photos? Are you a social media wizard with a legion of devoted fans? Leverage these assets and tell companies how you can use your skills to help them.

My pitch emails always include the line “If you are able to provide [insert what I’m asking for], then here is what I can offer you in return:” followed by a list of what value I can provide back. If you’re stumped as to what you can list, download my pitching guide here.

Triple check the content of your email

While I keep stressing the importance of personalizing your emails, I of course still have a structure/template that I stick to. The amount of times I’ve accidentally forgotten to change names/sentences is appalling and embarrassing. You know what’s gonna guarantee a “no”? Messaging the marketing contact of one hotel praising the decor of their direct competitor (perhaps a true story). SO PLEASE read your email a few times over before pressing “Send”. It’ll save you many hours of self-loathing, embarrassment and crying in a corner.

Bonus: Create a kickass ‘Work with Me’ page

You never know who might want to work with you. At the beginning, many of the deals you secure will be through your own proactive pitching, but it doesn’t hurt to have a ‘Work with Me’ page on your blog either. Make sure it’s clearly prominent in your site navigation and more importantly, that it looks good and sells you as a blogger. Mine is by no means perfect, but you can check it out here.

Helpful things to include:

Any media features or awards you might have gotten

What your blog is about and who your audience is

Statistics (that you’re proud of!). Emphasize your biggest numbers

A list of brands that you have worked with in the past (if you have gathered testimonials from them, now’s the time to show the world!)

The services you offer

A way of contacting you to discuss further

Werk with me. I am magic.

Wow.

So there you have it… the very last instalment of Blogtoberfest.

The truth is, part of me wants to duck into a cave and hibernate until the end of days… but even after those thousands and thousands of words, I still feel as if I’ve only scraped the surface.

So duh, I’m going to continue writing blogging guides. I can’t promise the updates will be as frequent (because I really miss the travel part of my blog!) but just know that this isn’t the end of blogging posts forever… I have a million more ideas in the pipeline, so stay tuned for more 😉

Thanks to you, this past month has been the most successful month I’ve ever had in blogging, and I’ve honestly never felt more motivated in my entire life to write… like to the point where one week, I hid in the corner of a bachelorette party to finish edits (#BestBridesmaidEver). That’s some class A dedication guys, which means I (maybe) love you all just a little bit. So thank you for coming along on this wild ride, and stay tuned for plenty more to come!

I hope you enjoyed that guide on securing sponsored travel! Now tell me – what has been the most valuable thing you’ve learned this month? Or are there any more topics you’d like for me to address?! Fire away in the comments.

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75 Responses

Thank you so much for writing these Blogtoberfest guides. They have been so insightful and have also helped me pat myself on the back for doing things right. You’ve created such an enticing blog with great content and have given me many ideas for my own. I joined many Pinterest groups that you mailed out and we’ll see if they work magic on my end!

Love love loved this post!! So insightful thanks for the tips. Ive just really started trying to focus on turning our blog into a business so this series has been amazing. Though I still have a way to go numbers wise, its nice to have your pitching advice for when we finally get to this stage. I completely agree with you that blogging is HARD work. Its time consuming and tiring but there’s always an amazing sense of acheivement when you succeed in something, even if its small. I have been focusing a lot on Pinterest and SEO lately and my traffic has improved heaps (still very low compared to some bloggers but so glad that I can see some results). Looking forward to reading more blogging advice when you get the time to post 🙂

Thanks Christina, all the posts have been really inspirational. Like Jen’s comment earlier, the info on Pinterest was really helpful. The post at the start was been great at helping me figure out how to turn my niche into something that people actually get value from. I’m loving the learning process and you’ve given me loads to think about.

Your writing style is great!I really enjoyed this article.
It made me laugh about the awkward staging! I had a sponsored stay in a hotel this weekend and know exactly how you feel – now I have hundreds of photos of the room, and myself sat in different locations around it that if someone stumbled across on my phone would make me look like an egomaniac! Ha.

Thanks, Melissa!! Oh my goodness that’s my biggest fear when someone is like “ooh can I look through your camera?” If they stumbled upon some of the photoshoots I’ve done for sponsored posts, they would think I’m a crazy bathrobe loving maniac.

Love this so much! I’ll be honest – I started pitching (successfully) quite early on, so have a few tips to add:
1) If you don’t have “the numbers”, focus on other things. For me, that was our niche and the unique UK travel challenge we are doing, as well as engagement
2) Don’t say yes to everything! We said yes to a free product because we were so excited that someone reached out to us; we like the product, but had to work extra hard to turn it into something truly travel related so it’s not out of place on our blog
3) Completely agree that it’s hard work! When you just want to collapse onto your bed after a day of travel, but can’t bear the thought of having to remake the bed in order to get a great shot. Blogging in general is hard work – you have to pay attention to certain details and get great photos instead of just enjoying yourself. I thought my first free thing would be so great, but then you get there and suddenly feel the pressure to produce great content. And you should feel that pressure, otherwise you likely aren’t in it for the right reasons!

Again, thanks so much for this guide (and all your other ones). I’m still quite new to this and they are SO useful!

Those are solid tips!! I relate soo much to #2 haha I remember early on, I became a brand ambassador for a SOCKS COMPANY because I was so stoked about being contacted lol. I mean they were nice socks but fitting them into my Instagram was a bit of a struggle haha

When I started my blog I’ve read a lot of posts written by people who were pretending to give you the key of success on a silver platter but were just full of referral links. Your posts are literally the best ones I’ve read on travel blogging. I also fell in love with your writing style so I’ll definitely stick around and read every single future post (as I’ve already read a bunch of old ones 😉 ).

Thanks Christina we are just starting out so your advice is really helpful. I guess the first hurdle to overcome is the fear of rejection. Good to know that even the successful bloggers have started from humble beginnings.

Thanks so much for sharing this info! I have had some success with pitching, but have a long way to go. I plan to purchase one of your coaching packages in the near future. I think what I am struggling with is the techy side of making my blog visually pleasing, and keeping up with all the social media while working a full time job. I am on blogger(with my own domain) ..not sure if I should be on another platform, technical challenges would be worse If I switched IM sure. and I know its the content that drives traffic in the end.

This was such an awesome post, best to you, I LOVE your blog! Subscribed!

Hoooooly Guacamole, that was SO much (useful) information! I think my eyes are square now haha. Super helpful post and I feel ya on the marriage thing. I’m three posts away from saying ‘I do’. Great post! Looking forward to reading more.

thank you so much for the posts this month. As I am currently setting up my own blog, it was all very helpful. What I loved the most is that you really made me think hard about every aspect, you were thorough and transparent. It’s now time to get to work 🙂

Love this post! You hit the nail on the head with so many points 🙂 And I love your sense of humour! You actually had me LOL-ing several times at my computer screen. Great work. I agree it really is about putting your best foot forward with the stats you give to a hotel/ accommodation and making them believe you a great fit (if you think you really are!).

I love this post! I’m so happy I found it! 🙂 Just a month ago, I embarked on my first mass-pitching — I feel like if I found this post then, my life would have been so much easier. But then, better late than never! Definitely picked up a lot of new pearls from this that I’ll make sure to apply on the next mass-pitching. 🙂

Great post! I’m working on gathering the nerve to pitch to some hotels for our next trip this winter in Nepal. I’m just wondering, if you’re planning on staying 5 days or something would you suggest just one day free to the hotel? What kind of things do you suggest to the tourism board?

With longer trips I tend to pitch two nights, but I’ve never been brave enough to ask for more haha. So far with tourism boards I’ve just asked for attraction/tourist passes (and hotels as well a few times) but I know many other bloggers work more thoroughly with them to get more covered (e.g. restaurants, transport, hotel, etc.)

Ahh girl I am so happy I’ve found your blog and am now going to read all your blogging posts (I started last night on the train but my phone is a little on the broken side). Really enjoy the hilarious way that you write and thank you so much for the detailed posts. I’ve especially enjoyed your social media guide so far, and have yet to come across any other post like it – everyone else is so vague, and who needs vague?!!
So thank you and I can’t wait for more xoxo

Yo Christina!
How come I never saw your blog before??? You are definitely a skilled writer. Thanks for the helpful article. I remember I jumped like crazy the first time I got my sponsored stay as well. It was a lame hostel but I thought it was a success anyways 😀
Lena

Just wanted to let you know this guide was really helpful! You’re one of my favorite bloggers at the moment! I recently got my first offer for a sponsored stay and that’s why I decided to start reaching out myself as well. It might be a little early, but it won’t hurt to give it a try.

Hi Romy, that’s so sweet – thank you, and YAY congrats on your first sponsorship!! Definitely reach out – you never know. Like I said, my blog was pretty small when I first began contacting hotels/companies and even then, I was surprised by how receptive some people were. You really never know! Best of luck 🙂

I am Karthik and I ran into your blog. I can totally relate when you said 2 day old bloggers with a free blogspot domain trying to pitch for a sponsored trip. Quality content takes time to build and a lot of experience behind it. Not everyone can do this and nothing comes for free as you said. You spend more time clicking some pictures than actually enjoying it.
Do keep writing great guides like this. Will definitely help a lot of people.

What a refreshing change to have someone spell out just how hard it is to get sponsored travel. It was nearly three years of hard word blogging on my own website before I began to get invitations to join press trips and review hotels. Many tour operators, pr people and tourist boards are still wary of bloggers as they do come and go – did you know that 3 million posts are published every day.
It is hard work rising to the surface of this flood but very rewarding when people start contacting you! I now write regularly for 3 websites (and get paid) and I have been on several press trips.
You are right Christina – quality before quantity and be prepared to work hard. Thanks for taking the time to pen your advice.
All the best
The experienced traveller at https://experiencedtraveller.co.uk

Nice one! Comps are defo not free! The amount of arguments i have had with hubby about how to take photos or how to pose for comps are endless lol. It makes me sad when people think it’s easy just to start a blog and get free travel!

thank you for your detailed guide. I have done some amazing collaboration in the past but I’m always looking to improve my pitches. Your article has provided some really valuable information, thanks for sharing! I feel like I’ll be really able to use your advice!

Hi girl! I like your blog, you are funny and smart! This is an amazing post! I have a question for you. This post has everything you need to know about how to approach a hotel, but what about the opposite? How do hotels find and approach you? Is it directly? Through an affiliate company? Via email?via instagram? I hope you will check my question soon! Thank you! Keep blogging! You are very good at it!

You are so sweet, Vassia. Thanks for the lovely words! Getting hotels to find you is a tricky topic. In fact, I’m not sure hotels often seek out bloggers to work with on their own (unless you’re a very big name). Most often, hotels hire PR companies to do the digging for them. I’d therefore recommend getting in touch with some local PR companies in your area (specifically the ones working with travel/tourism clients), introducing yourself w/ a media kit, and then ask to be put on their media lists. Also, I would recommend optimizing your blog to be “found”. Put yourself into the shoes of someone who would be looking for bloggers to work with. They would probably be Googling things like “eco-friendly travel blogger in New York” or whatever it is they’re looking for, right? So work at optimizing your site for relevant keywords, get your name out there through interviews, press mentions, etc. Good luck!

I’m very new to blogging and just read your post. It was very interesting and informative! Thank you so much for your tips. I know I’m too small to ask for any collaborations, because I’m at the very beginning, but I loved reading it and got a good background knowledge. Thank you!

P.S. If you’re interested, have a look at my page. Would love what you think 🙂

Hi there, as a new family travel blogger I really enjoyed reading this. I started my blog really as a way of documenting our travels for friends and family but I am hoping as I grow that we will be able to help and inspire other families to travel, travel, travel. If something more comes out of this (hard) work then that will be a nice bonus . Cheers 🙂

What's up, smartie pants?

My name is Christina and I'm a Canadian travel blogger who moonlights as a blogging sugar mama. Welcome to the Blogging section of my site, where I provide all sorts of resources + guides to help you create the badass travel blog of your dreams! Now grab yourself a beer, we've got some work to do.